Yang Guozhong

Yang Guozhong (died 15 July 756) was Chancellor of Tang China from 752 to 756. A drunkard and a gambler, he rose to power by virtue of his family ties to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's favorite concubine, and his rivalry with Li Linfu and his military ally An Lushan provoked the An Lushan Rebellion of 755 AD. In 756, he was murdered by rebellious soldiers who blamed him for their defeat at Luoyang.

Biography
Yang Guozhong was born to a prominent Shanxi family, and he was the nephew of two of Wu Zetian's lovers. He lacked knowledge and virtues and was known as a drinker and gambler, but he rose through the ranks due to his cousin being the favorite concubine of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Yang allied himself with the opponents of Chancellor Li Linfu, and he also began conspiring to remove his rival's general An Lushan from command. In 752 AD, Li Linfu passed away, and Yang Guozhong took control of the Imperial Court and sought to remove An Lushan from power. In 755 AD, An Lushan rose in rebellion against the Tang and took Luoyang. In 756 AD, Yang Guozhong advised the Emperor to send his army to retake Luoyang, abandoning the impenetrable Tong Pass and meeting a disastrous defeat. Xuanzong and his court were then forced to flee Chang'an for Chengdu, and, along the way, the army mutinied and massacred Yang Guozhong, Consort Yang, and many of the Yang family, blaming them for the defeat.